Second Chances

Comedians ANT and Greg Baldwin talk about the year that was 2017, their guests and how the podcast got started. Enjoy!

A special thanks to all of our guests: Margaret Cho, Jay Westbrook, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Perez Hilton, Stephanie Shullman, Hugh Sheridan, Eric Lampaert, Ian Harvey, Joey Feldman, Rocco Stowe, Paul Casey, Ritch Shydner, PJ Stahl, Gerry Feltman, Elaine Hendricks, Terri McDonald, Alex Plank, Jimmy Shin, Carnie Wilson, Greg Cope White, Cort McCown, Mary Carey, Maury Sterling, Jamie Kennedy, Anna David, William Constantine, Amy Dresner, Willie Aames, Tony Tripoli, Alishia Ochse, Elissa Rosenthal, Bobby Lee, Greg Behrendt, Mara Shapshay, Devin Mann, London Brown, and Miles Szanto.

Also a special thanks to all who have helped to spread the word about the show and who have supported us throughout the year: Paul Lander, Mike & Liz Murphy, Miles Szantos, and Elissa Rosenthal.

Finally, a hearty hurrah to Executive Producer Matty Staudt and our workhorses behind the scenes: Audio Editor Joey Marchini, Webmaster & Digital Director Cecilie Korst of Chapelure Media, and Audio Engineer & Producer Charlene Goto of Go-To Productions.

A working actor since age 8, Miles Szanto saw two sides of life—the privileged life of a working actor and the concrete walls of jail. His parents were addicted, then clean, then addicted, trafficking, in prison…he felt ashamed of his blood and felt unsafe, but acting saved him, and keeps saving him. The greatest lesson he is learning now is to not let external forces validate how he feels about himself; that he has worth no matter what happened in the past or what he is working on.

Miles has been working professionally as an actor since he was a child. He completed extensive training at the Australian Theatre for Young People, the American Musical and Dramatic Academy on a scholarship, Steppenwolf Theater West and was later invited to attend David Mamet & William H Macy's prestigious Atlantic Acting School in New York City.

He has appeared in the stage production and the Australian cast record of The Wizard of Oz and then went on to perform in the Sam Mendes production of Oliver The Musical(Cameron Macintosh Productions). In 2011 Miles acted as Eliot in Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton's Sydney Theatre Company production of Tusk Tusk and later as Melochior Gabor in the Oregon tour of Spring Awakening the Musical.

He has appeared in such Australian TV series as; Snobs, award winning cable drama Love My Way(Seasons 2 & 3), European hit & AFI award winning The Elephant Princess(Seasons 1 & 2), Dead Girls Detective Agency(pilot) and the FX series Married. He has appeared as presenter on K-Zone TV, Studio Disney and AMTV on Disney.

His film credits include Drowning(which screened at the Cannes Film Festival), Blue Monday(which he co-wrote with director Craig Boreham), Ostia: La Notte Finale, Bruno and Earlene Go To Vegas(for which he won Best Performance at the 2014 Transgender Film Festival), Western Religion, Electric Mirrors, Unravel and Teenage Kicks. For his role in Teenage Kicks, Miles was presented with the 2017 Iris Prize for Best Actor in a feature film, and award that is lovingly referred to as the gay Oscars. Miles is also becoming an accomplished filmmaker and in 2016 he wrote and directed the Huffington Post distributed docu-series 'Facing Addiction; Across America".

Born and raised in Los Angeles, London Brown is a trained actor, dancer, comedian and impressionist (his Denzel Washington is epic). He talks with ANT and Greg about growing up in the hood, humor saving lives, becoming famous and the death of his baby brother, which shook his world.

London Brown is one of LA's hottest up and coming comedians. but he is also much more than that. London is also a trained actor, dancer, and impressionist. He stars on the HBO series "Ballers" as the character Reggie opposite Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Previously he was the lead role of "D" in "The Hustle" for The Fuse Network which was created and produced by Prentice Penny.

In his first two years as a comedian, London Brown hit some of the most legendary stages. Those stages include the The Comedy Union, The Improv, The Comedy Store, and Gotham Comedy Club. He was also the winner of the first ever Robin Harris Rising Star award as well as Best International Comedian for 2013 Black Comedy awards in the UK. He has shared stages with Katt Williams, Tony Rock and Kevin Hart.

London was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. Though his aspirations took him out of that troubled neighborhood, he did not come out unscathed, even in adulthood. His younger brother Wendall Lee, a 25 year old college graduate and aspiring NBA player, was murdered in 2015, killed in random drive-by shooting. The gunman was never caught.

London is also a mentor, reaching out to kids in South Central and hoping to make a positive impression on them before they get into trouble. You can find him speaking at after-school programs and spending time with members of the Boys and Girls Clubs.

Devin Mann is an agent at William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, but isn't your typical talent agent. His personal life has thrown him curve balls that would crush anyone. Having disabled twins, the grief of losing one at age 2, and divorcing his alcoholic wife were all devastating, yet Devin still learns, adapts, and shines.

Devin comes from a family of writers and grew up surrounded by politics in Washington, DC. As a student at Columbia University, he was influenced by music and got into the art scene. In 1992, Devin moved to Los Angeles to get into the film business. With no connections, he struggled and took a job selling children's books (which he admits to being terrible at). He got his break when he was hired at Island Records, then moved on to a commercial production company, then eventually to freelance work. After considering his options, he took an inventory of his skills and decided that he was best at speaking for people who didn't have a voice. He applied to 100 agencies landing a job as an agent in training at a small firm in West LA. Two years later, Smith, Gosnell, Nicholson & Associates hired him away as did Innovative Artists a couple of years later. At the end of his 7-year contract, he was approached by Endeavor and has been there for 12 years. Now, he is a co-chair of his department with 9 agents and 9 assistants representing over 300 people.

Devin met the love of his life via Yahoo Dating and lives in Los Angeles. They have 2 children from previous marriages.

Mara Shapshay is a cute little Prada-wearing Jewish girl who is a mental health advocate who bakes nut-job nutter-butters and schizophrenic snickerer-doodles. Oh, and she is a comedian. In 2005, Mara hit a bottom and checked into rehab. Upon leaving rehab Mara was fired from her job, going through a divorce and was homeless. Carrie Fisher took Mara in. In 2008, Mara became a stand-up comic performing regularly at The Comedy Store, Improv, and the Laugh Factory. Mara is also a producer/host of two successful comedy/variety shows. Mara's story is a beautiful transformation from rock-bottom to Hollywood-top.

Greg Behrendt doses out pearls of wisdom about raising girls, prejudice, politics, mental illness, depression, women, relationships, cancer, relapse (taking the dog's pills), and joining the opioid crisis. Through all his dark thoughts, trials and challenges, clarity finally came with his cancer diagnosis. He is now living in the moment and helping other people. His favorite saying in recovery is, "Bring the problem here, take the solution home," which he tries to practice each day. Mantastic, Greg Behrendt. Mantastic.

Greg Behrendt is an American comedian and author. His work as a script consultant to the HBO sitcom Sex and the City, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, paved the way for co-authoring of the New York Times bestseller He's Just Not That into You (2004), later adapted into a film by the same name. Apart from that he also hosted two short-lived television shows, The Greg Behrendt Show (2006) and Greg Behrendt's Wake Up Call (2009). Greg is also known for his podcast Walking the Room with his friend Dave Anthony and his surf/rockabilly instrumental band, The Reigning Monarchs. Greg graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater from the University of Oregon in 1991, though initially he had enrolled to be a business major and to play rugby. After graduation, he moved to San Francisco, where he joined an improvisational troupe, and met fellow comic Margaret Cho. In his early years, he performed comedy and improv in San Francisco and was a member of the improv troupe Crash and Burn. He came up as a performer alongside such comics as David Cross and Patton Oswalt. He is married to Amiira Ruotola. They have two daughters, Mighty Luna and Bella True. He is a recovering alcoholic and a cancer survivor.

This podcast is offensive (and also very funny). We will get letters and they will be scathing because unforgivable things are said and no apologies are made. But this is the kind of irreverent comedy that Bobby Lee is known for. From Down syndrome to winning homosexual chicken, no one and nothing is safe.

Bobby Lee is an actor and stand-up comedian known for MADtv (1995), Paul (2011) and Pineapple Express (2008).

He began taking meth and marijuana around 12, and went through three drug rehab attempts, ending his meth abuse around age 17. At 18, Bobby moved out of his parents' home and took jobs in restaurants and coffee shops in the San Diego area, while also attending Palomar College for a brief period. In 1994 the coffee shop for which he was working closed. "I just went next door to get a job," he said, "which was The Comedy Store in San Diego". After a few months of working odd jobs at the club he decided to try stand-up during one of their amateur nights. Within a year of doing regular comedy sets he got offers to open for both Pauly Shore and Carlos Mencia. Bobby also went on to work regularly at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

Bobby is currently working on a new show and hosts a weekly podcast, TigerBelly with his girlfriend, Khalyla. He is on a comedy tour around the US now.

Elissa Rosenthal is an actress and writer, known for 5am (2013), Live Nude Girls (2014) and The Tommy O Show Starring America (2011). She grew up in Long Island, New York, graduated the Second City Conservatory at age 19, and performed with Second City for 7 years. For 5 years she toured as a stand-up comedian and In the midst of that pursuit, she struggled with addiction. Listen as she talks about her family, her death, and sings lullabies as Christina and Britney!

Alyshia Ochse is a Southern girl in Sunny SoCal. She is an actress, a writer, and a podcaster, and spills the beans about her life and moving to Hollywood. Listen to stories of Paris Hilton slapping her mom, wearing fairy costumes, getting fired, getting un-engaged and getting it on. Alyshia is our first guest who got a second chance with herself, finding empowerment and learning to love. This beautiful guest has a beautiful spirit. Listen to this podcast and hers, "That One Audition."

Alyshia's latest book, "Life Letters" is available on Amazon, but it was through acting that she was able to tap deeply into her truth: her ability to embody and see herself in others. Alyshia is best known as "Lucy" opposite Academy Award Winner, Matthew McConaughey, from the critically-acclaimed and Golden Globe nominated True Detective, as well as her roles in Satisfaction, How I Met Your Mother, Hart of Dixie, General Hospital and Life Sentence. Alyshia's other credits include roles in such movies as The Other Woman, Parker, Marauders, and the highly anticipated indie film, She's in Portland.

Though a southern girl at heart, Alyshia has embraced the gorgeous California sun, where she resides with her Mediterranean chef Husband and their cheeky little girl. When she's not acting, Alyshia spends her time hosting the podcast That One Audition and championing female driven content.

Tony Tripoli is a hilarious gay comedian. He talks about TV, lesbians, Joan Rivers, Kathy Griffin, gay cruises, coming out, dating, and musicals. (Warning: you're going to be Googling images of Charlie's Angels.) Tony knew he was gay at age 4 and came out of the closet at 18. From breakups over breath mints to jealousy and stolen passwords, Tony has been through some serious heartbreak. After 9 long years, he's back in the dating pool and letting himself love again. It's all gay banter all the time!